Invoice-holder.



R. c. BENDER. INVOICE HOLDER.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 9. IBIS.

Patented Aug. 13, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

I 95pm.

R. C BENDER.

INVOICE HOLDER.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 9. 1918.

1,275,367. PatentedAug.13,1918-.

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ROBERT o. iENDER, or ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

IivvoIon-ir'OLDER.l A

Specification of Letters Patent.l

,Patented Aug. 13, 191s.

' Application filed February 9, 1918. Serial No. 216,198.

T0 aZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that l, ROBERT C. BNDER,

a citizen of the United States, residing at St. Louis, Missouri, have invented 'a certainnew and useful Improvement in Invoice- Holders, of which the following isa full, clear, and exact description, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, formingpart of this specication.

My invention relates to an invoice holder and particularly to the types of invoice holders disclosed in my lcopending applications filed July 5, 1917, Serial v Numbers 178,67 5 and 178,67,the principal object of my present invention being to generally improve upon and simplify the constructions disclosed in said applications, andY to providey a comparatively simpleV and inexpensive device which will hold in a convenient l mannerk invoice sheets or record kslips jsuch vas are generally used b y-business houses and tached tov permit parts of ,the invoice: to

be folded back in order to ascertain4 data appearing on those invoices below the uppermosty invoice, and further, to provide an invoice holder which will greatly facilitate the work of the bookkeeper or clerk in keeping an accurate record of transactionsbetwe'en seller andbuyer.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, my invention consists in certain novel features ofv construction and arrangement of parts, hereinafterl more fullyy described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- A Figure 1 is afront or face view of an inlvoice holder of my improved construction.

Fig. 2 `is an elevational view of the irear sideof the invoicejholder; and showingan invoice held in proper position uponsaid holder by means of a readily detachable retaining device. Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken approximately on the line 3.3 of.Fig..1.

Fig. 4 is a vertical section takenapproximately on the line M of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a transverse section taken'approximately on theY line 55 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 isa detail sectional view showing` thef connections between the elastic retaining device and the body of the holder.

*.Fig. 7 isa perspective view of a portion of the elastic retaining device.

Fig.y 8 is an enlarged elevational view of a portion of the `body of the holder and showing` the indeXtag. Y f

Fig. 9 is a vertical section taken on theV line 9 9 of Fig. 8.

`Referring by numeralsto the accompanying drawings which illustrate a practical embodiment of my invention, 10 designates the body of the holder .which is substantially krectangular in form and preferably Vconn Formed integral A Vwith the upper portions of the side kedges -structed vof sheets' metal.

ofthis body 10'are upwardly and inwardly projecting lips or flanges 11, the same serving as keepers or retaining means fora card 12, which latter is provided with suitable V linesand spaces uponwhich may be written a customers name and address,- anddata relative to the'handling of the sales or businessv transacted with said customer.

Formed integralV with the upper portions ofthe side edges of the'body 1() and projecting inwardly on the rear or reverse side-of the holder are ears or lips lwhich .serve as retainingmeans for a card such as 12 when `it is desired or'necessary to place said card on the reverse side of theholder. The

vside edges of the body 10 below the retain-V is a projecting portion 15 throughY which is formed an aperture 16 and that portionof away from the recessed edge 17 are ears 18. This arrangement provides a holder for a small disk 19 of cardboard 4or the4 like vupon both faces of which is printed an index letter. v

ing lips or flanges 1S and thus said 'index' tag or disk serves as a guide for the placing of the invoice holder in the proper container. Y Y

Formed in the left hand edge of thebody 10 and at a point near the lcenter thereof is a short inwardly extending slot 20, the

Ainner end of which communicates with a pair of spaced notches or apertures 21. 0n the righthand side of thebody near the edge thereof is formed a pair of outwardly presented tongues 22, the same being preferably stamped from the metal forming said body 10, one of said tongues being extended upwardly above the front face of the body and the other tongue being extended downwardly with respect to the rear or underface of said body.

Formed in the lower end of the body 10 and preferably at a central point thereon is an inwardly projecting slot the same termina-ting in a pair of spaced apertures or notches 24. Stamped from the body 10 immediately above slot 23 and notches 2st is an upwardly extending transversely disposed strap 25, the same serving as a seat for the lower end of a resilient retaining finger 26, the upper end of which is adapted to bear directly against the front face of the body 10 at a point near theA center thereof. This nger 26 is adapted to serve. as a keeper for a limited number of invoices placed on the front side of the holder and said finger is readily detachable from the strap 25 in korder that it may be temporarily laid aside and replaced by an elastic retaining device, and which latter is capable of holding a comparatively large number-of invoices on the holder. This elastic retaining device is composed of a pair of elastic tapes 27 and 2S, the same being arranged substantially at right angles to each other and held to slide freely through a keeper 29, the latter being in the form of a disk and composed of two layers of fabric or the like, the edges of which be- 'tween the crossed straps 27Y and 28 being secured to each other by rows of stitching or in any suitable manner.

One end of the elastic tape 27 is provided with a hook 30 which is adapted to engage over the upper edge of the body 10 ofthe holder, the opposite end of said tape being provided with a metal loop 31 from which projects a spherical or pear-shaped member 32 which is adapted to enter the `slot 23 in the bottom of the holder l0 and occupy either one of the notches 24. One end of elastic tape 2S is provided with a metal loop the slot 2O and engage in either one of the notches 21. The opposite end of this tape 28 carries a substantially triangular metal vloop `35 with which is adapted to engage either -one of the tongues 22.

There my improved device is utilized for holding a .comparatively small number of invoices, the elastic retaining device comorisin the taoes 27 and 28 is not used. but l g i a resilient member 26 has its lower end inserted through strap 25 as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3. A card 12 containing the customers name, address and certain data is positioned on the front face of the holder 10 with the ends of said card positioned beneath the retaininglips 11 and an index disk 19 bearing the proper letter is. inserted beneath the retaining lips 18.

As the invoices are made out, they are placed on the face of the holder beneath the free end of `the resilient member 26 and which latter it will be understood holds the invoices in proper position on the body l() Y while the latter is being handled by the bookkeeper or clerk or while the holder is temporarily placed in a proper container.

there the device is utilized for holding a comparatively large number of invoices, the. resilient member 26 is detached from the body of the holder and one of the elastic retaining devices is applied to said holder with the hook 30 engaged over the top edge of said holder, the member 82 engaged in one of the notches 24, the 'member 134 engaged in one ofthe notches 21 and the loop 35 engaged .on one of the tongues 22. To insert additional invoices beneath the elastic retainer, it is only'necessary Ito detach hook 30 and elevate the central portion of kthe elastic retainer a Ysufficient distance to place the latest on top of thosev already positioned on Athe holder. In'the event that it is desired to examine any one or all of the invoices below that one on top, the member 34 is disengaged from the notch in which it is positioned and the righthand portions of the invoices are now free to be turned vback to facilitate inspection.

By providing two tongues 22 and two sets of the notches 21 and 24,1it is possible to use one ofthe elastic retaining devices on each side of the holder, thereby materially increasing the holding capacity Vof the-device.

An invoice holder of my impro-ved construction isv comparatively simple, can be easily and cheaply manufactured, and provides an efficient 'and convenient time Aand labor-saving devicefor all business houses making use of invoice sheets or the like.

It will be readily understood that minor changes inthe size, form and construction of the various parts of my improved invoice holder may be ymade andV substituted for those herein shown and described, without departing from the spirit of my invention,

' the scope of which is set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:V

1. In a device of the class described, the combination with a plate adapted to receive invoice sheets, of an invoice sheet retaining device adapted to be removably applied to said plate, said retaining device comprising a pair of crossed elastic tapes, and plate engagng means carried by the ends of said tapes.

2. In a device of the'class described, the

combination with a plate adapted to receive invoices, of an invoice retaining device comprising a pair of crossed elastic tapes, securing means carried by the ends of said tapes, and portions of the plate being constructed so as to receive said securing means.

3. In a device 4of the class described, a plate adapted to receive invoices, and an invoice retaining device adapted to be detachably applied to said plate, said retaining device comprising a pair of crossed elastic members, means lcarried by the ends of said crossed members for engagingthe side and end portions of the plate, and a keeper applied to said members at their crossing point,

device comprising arpair of crossed elastic members, and means on said members for detachably engaging ythe sidesand ends of said plate.

In testimony whereof I hereunto ailix my signature in the presence of tWo Witnesses, this 1st day of February, 1918.

ROBERT o. BENDER.

Witnesses: M. P. SMITH, MARIE GEIssERT.

Copie: of this patent may be obtlined for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patenti.

Washington, D. 0. 

